In hybrid systems, torque demands are fulfilled using both an electric motor and an internal combustion (IC) engine. For various reasons, there are several occasions where the driver demanded torque and the output torque of the internal combustion engine are deliberately set to different values. Typically, the internal combustion engine is temporarily operated in an inefficient manner to match the internal combustion engine output torque to the driver demanded torque after a delay. However, temporarily operating the internal combustion engine in the inefficient manner reduces combustion efficiency and leads to poorer fuel efficiency. Further, temporarily operating the internal combustion engine in the inefficient manner can also lead to lower dynamic performance of the vehicle if torque requests are delayed excessively.